The Historic Preservation Trades program at Edgecombe Community College continues to expand its offerings to meet the needs of students. This month, the program offers new courses during the day, at night and on weekends.

Fundamentals of Carpentry is a hands-on intensive course that teaches basic carpentry along with the study and repair of historic structures.

The class meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon beginning Jan. 20 on the Tarboro campus. The class ends May 10.

Students will work on the 19th-century Norfleet House and learn about timber framing.

They will gain skills in repairing original flooring, installing siding and learning techniques used in buildings in the first half of the 19th century.

Students also will learn how to make sensitive repairs to historic houses using both historic and modern tools and methods.

Carpentry Instructor Larry Waldrop holds a degree in Historic Preservation and is a qualified historic carpenter.

Waldrop will teach students how to identify, prioritize and carry out tasks in a historic project. Tuition for the course is $175.

Another new course offered now at ECC is Introduction to Archaeology, which meets on Fridays from 1-4 p.m. and begins on Jan. 22.

Instructor Stephen Herring will teach students how to gather information about a region by studying items left behind.

Herring is a geography/religion instructor at the college.

Students will visit several area museums that display artifacts and learn about identifying the items, how they were used and how they can create a timeline for a community.

Tuition for the archaeology class is $120. The required textbook is "A Brief Introduction to Archaeology" by Fagan for $67.

For individuals who are interested in the program but cannot attend day classes, evening and weekend courses are an option.

Historic and Cultural Landscape will be offered on Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. beginning on Jan. 19.